


Texas Detour

by mothra_leo



Series: For A Friend [1]
Category: Ash vs Evil Dead (TV), The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (Movies)
Genre: Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-12
Updated: 2019-09-12
Packaged: 2020-10-16 22:15:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20610206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mothra_leo/pseuds/mothra_leo
Summary: Ash will leave Texas any day now. Totally.





	Texas Detour

Horses were a pain in the ass.

Ash could never quite get along with his. Sure, Jorge the farmer had picked out one that would let Ash ride it, and Ash had successfully helped move cows (sorry; _cattle_) around with it for the past month; but still.

Horses were trouble. And weird. Ash didn't like their creepy eyes and penchant for leaning on him.

Fortunately, the cattle were where they were supposed to be, Ash was riding back to the stable, and Jorge the farmer had kids who were going to take care of the cleanup end of horse maintenance.

Ash had not planned on this when he hit the road to Tijuana. He had absolutely planned on getting bald-faced drunk there, turning around in a week or two, and then driving straight up to Vegas.

(So what that he'd been paying for his room and board with odd farm work for the past few months. It wasn't his fault that he'd popped a trailer axle out in the middle of nowhere Texas.

Totally not his fault.

Must have been the Evil catching up to him.)

“Gonna head back?” Jorge asked. Ash shrugged.

“Nah. Think I'll find some place to kick back a while. See you tomorrow maybe.”

The farmer shrugged back, giving Ash a little grin; he envied Ash's freedom to hit the bars and carouse as he wished. The wife tolerated Ash's habits, but she gave Jorge the third degree if she so much as suspected he'd join in. “See you tomorrow.”

Duly freed from his daily slog, Ash was driving north in no time.

He had every intention of fixing the trailer; one day, he said to himself. Totally. One day I will, and then I'll move on, and nothing will catch up to me, and everything will be Fine.

Totally.

Ash drove by the country gas station, and waved at the lanky attendant. He was outside talking to a few people with some little sedan. Tourists, huh? Well, if they were going to spend a while taking up the station, Ash could afford to wander for a little while.

He might have just a little problem with his fear of discovery. Nah. It wasn't just the creeping terror he was running from. Debt collectors were a bitch, too.

So Ash turned down a nearby side road, rattling off into a place he'd never been. There were a lot of old, unkept roads out here to explore. Farms that had better routes now, farms that didn't exist anymore... mostly just farms... Ash had found a few places that were definitely not farms, but he didn't root around in weird old company (or government) buildings without a good reason nowadays. Too many risks.

This, though... There was a house up here.

It was definitely abandoned. Ash knew what “country, but lived-in” looked like by now, after so many years in so many places. This was not it. He drove up to the front, crunching over some branches, and stopped.

Huh. Wasn't so much like the cabin. He wouldn't mind taking a look around.

The idea had occurred to Ash that he could live in a place like this, and sometimes, it seemed like a nice idea. Ash had gotten a little tired of Jorge's spare room, with the married couple and kids in the house, and some peace and quiet would be nice. The town lacked any acceptable trailer parks, so Ash didn't want to go back to sleeping in a hot, un-air-conditioned metal box.

The side door was open, and he stepped inside, smelling must and mildew, but nothing really repulsive. The roof here was probably fucked, and Ash knew any job he'd make of it would be questionable at best, but it wasn't like he had to worry about code enforcement coming around to take a look.

He'd had worse ideas. Squatting in primordial Texas wasn't the worst. Maybe if he patched up the walls...

Ash explored for a little while, traipsing upstairs, then downstairs, discovering a remarkably wide basement. That was kind of creepy, really. Now what would someone need this much basement for...

In fact, there looked like an awful lot of cleared-open space. Against his better judgement, but Ash continued to inspect the floor. Pressure-washed. As if someone had cleaned up blood, Ash considered.

Or, he thought as he followed distinctive lines of effaced concrete, a painted diagram...

Something snapped above him, and Ash had only a moment to cock his head and consider that before sound burst out. The revving-ah. Yes.

A chainsaw.

Ash turned towards the basement stairs and (reluctantly) started to climb his way out. Before he could get very far, the half-open door above him burst into fragments, a whole panel breaking free as it was sliced away.

Ash flinched, losing his balance, and grabbed futiley at the railing. He fell back, landing with an involuntary _oof_ against the wall opposite the stairs.

The ostensible attacker descended the stairs carefully, chainsaw purring, but without the blade engaged. His looming blocked out what was left of the setting sun's light. Ash didn't have any time to get back onto his feet.

Anyone else in such a predicament would surely be doomed. But not Ashley Williams.

Instead he leaned back against the basement wall, looked up at the face-that-wasn't-a-face, and made kissy noises.

“Muh.” He grinned. “Hey there, big boy. I'm happy to see you. Muh-muh-muh.”

The chainsaw engine turned off.

“Glad to see me? Thought I would find you when your work was over, but it looks like you beat me to that...” Ash trailed off, failing to make a witty comment somewhere between 'beat your meat' and 'beat me to the punch'. His audience cocked his head.

“Could you, uh. Help me up, Bubba boy? I'm in a bit of a bind here...” Ash reached out his good hand, and sure enough, his erstwhile pursuer reached out and helped him to his feet, chattering something fond and reassuring. “Yeah. Thanks, man.”

Ash hugged him. It was nice to be affectionate to Bubba. He had been a little unsure about things at first-Ash had; Bubba was absolutely delighted with anything Ash did-but it had taken a while to stop worrying about whether he looked _cool enough_. The way Bubba liked him just the way he was was kind of precious.

Bubba whuffled into his hair, and Ash pulled back enough to tweak Bubba's mask-nose.

“Didn't know I was that close to your place. You done your work, big boy?”

“Ibe!” Bubba chirped affirmatively.

“Ohh. Then, do ya mind if I stay at your place tonight, big boy? Mm. I could use a nice long bath.”

Bubba nodded emphatically, and slipped his arms around Ash's waist, nuzzling at him. It was cute, and despite all his inclination to play the tough guy, Ash smiled. Yeah. Let Jorge think he was off in town, sniffing after stage girls.

“Yeah. Missed you, too.”

Halfway across the divide to the Sawyer household, Bubba hung his chainsaw from one arm, and made a mischievous sort of sound as he pulled Ash up into his arms.

“Hey wha-” Ash found himself being princess-carried across the way. “I, ah, ...hey there, you,” he attempted. Bubba burbled happily and continued onwards.

“Wow, you're really strong...”

Much later, after a long shower and a longer bath, Ash sighed happily.

“After a long day of hard work, there's nothing better than a tall glass of beer, a chance to relax, and some good company.” He even had candles. Nice vanilla-and-sandalwood scented candles from some obscure five-and-ten.

Sure, Ash knew he should be moving on. But really? What did it hurt, staying here a while?

Snuggled up to his chest in the bathtub, Bubba burbled a warm agreement.

“Totally.” Ash replied, sleepy.

**Author's Note:**

> Not pictured: the first time they meet, Ash was taken in for dinner and saved his life by flirting with Bubba. Little does Ash know that he'll actually grow to like the guy.  
Also not pictured: After this, Ash goes back to look at that basement, the Evil catches up, and Drayton becomes a deadite (which isn't much difference, until he's pushing his own severed head through a doorway to get to Ash and Bubba). Bubba is very distressed, but he leaves with Ash for safer places.


End file.
